RESUMO
The burden of care for frail elderly persons on families and the society is ever real as our population ages. Given the dual-income nature of many working families, day care centers offer a strong alternative to nursing homes for families wishing to provide custodial care and meaningful engagement for seniors while continuing to uphold their filial duties. Recognizing this, several initiatives, such as SPICE (Singapore Programme for Integrated Care for the Elderly) and Weekend Respite Care, have been launched to enhance the services of Singapore's day care centers. This article traces the evolution of this process, distills current challenges, and offers policy recommendations to improve Singapore's day care services for seniors.
Assuntos
Hospital Dia/tendências , Prestação Integrada de Cuidados de Saúde , Idoso , Idoso Fragilizado , Humanos , Assistência de Longa Duração , Casas de Saúde , SingapuraRESUMO
Singapore faces a rapidly aging population. By 2030, 19% of her population will be aged 65 years and above. Other Asian countries face similar problems, with South Korea having the fastest aging population worldwide, followed by China and Thailand. With Singapore possessing an advanced aging population, its policy provides a useful case study of eldercare to cater to evolving population demographics. This article will focus specifically on nursing homes and analyze current policies toward them, synthesize recommendations to improve long-term care, and justify a paradigm shift toward more holistic, humanistic, and multidimensional care.
Assuntos
Casas de Saúde/legislação & jurisprudência , Casas de Saúde/organização & administração , Planejamento Antecipado de Cuidados , Auditoria Clínica , Emigrantes e Imigrantes/legislação & jurisprudência , Pessoal de Saúde/economia , Política de Saúde , Saúde Holística , Humanos , Capacitação em Serviço , Relações Interinstitucionais , Assistência Médica , Cuidados Paliativos , Equipe de Assistência ao Paciente , Garantia da Qualidade dos Cuidados de Saúde , SingapuraRESUMO
The ageing population is posing new challenges to Singapore's healthcare system. The rise of dual income and the decline of extended families, as well as an increase in age-related degenerative disorders due to increased longevity render it difficult for the family to remain the primary social safety net to care for our elderly in their own homes. Consequently, nursing homes may become increasingly relevant for resource and expertise-challenged families to cope with the burden of caring for a frail and dependent elderly. However, as the recent Nightingale Nursing Home elderly mistreatment incident attests, the standards of some have been found wanting. This paper will trace the history of nursing homes in Singapore and the evolution of government policies towards them, discuss the challenges and trade-offs of nursing home regulation, and provide suggestions for better care and governance.
